Method of bending printing-surfaces.



B. F. UPHAM.

METHOD 0F BENDING PRINTING BURFOBS.

Arrmonron rmm 1.11m. 190s.

906,586, Patented Deo. 15,1908

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B. F. UPHAM. METHOD 0F BBNDING PRINTING SURIAUES.

APPLICATION rILzD Jn.a,1oos.

906,586. Patentedne. 15, 1908,

2 sums-ausm 2,

'UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

BUR I". UPHAM, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SOUTHGATE MACHINERY CO., ,OII BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. A CORPORATION Oli MASSACHUSETTS.

. METHOD F IBENDING PRINTING-SURFAUES.

Specification of Letters Potent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Application filed January 8, 19.08. Serial No. 409,805.

Methods. of Bending Printin -Surfacesg of which the. following is n speci cation.

In bending clectrotype plates for use upon cylinrlcr presses, it hns hitherto been prooticn-lly im iossible to force the sume to register with the sinne pluto uncurved, owing to the elongation of the electrotype shell in the process. Consequently, for certain kinds oi r. work wherein both Het and curved duplicate printing surfaces were employed, ns for twocolor printing, `such lack of registering was lutal to their success.

The object'of'thisinvention is theprodnc- ,i tion of n lnethodotso bending electrot e plates, und other printing surfaces, that t o superficial distortion formerly inse arable therefrom shui] be .entirely provento( This process consists'cssentially in giving the backed printing surface two opposite bends, ond between such bends so treating thv sanne that the --su criicinl." elongation given thereto by onc,hcnr shnlthclinirnntcd by Ythe oth-cr. `V M y Refer-ri r to tho drawings forming port of this spr', 'i icntion, Figures l,y 2,-3 und 4 illus trote the four-steps 1n'l tl'icpreforrcd forni oi my jirotzrss. Figs. 5, (i imdj'k the steps in :mother forni ol' :ny proc'etsi--und Figs. 8, l) :ind l-O thc ,stops iu nucl-her form there-ol.

ln my prcl'crred process, un clectrotypc shell, `an engraved mrtulV pluto, or other )rioting surlnco 1, 'is luid l'ccc down upon n. lint surface end imi-.kodup tgnn Szccssive thickness in thoI usuel manner; ith cusilv, fusible ullo boing customarily -cniploye nud applic: thereto in n Ii 1.elter.l""'sondition. Sur-.h excessive bucking then pinned down to the )ropcr thickness, as indicated by the dotted ine 3, in Fig. 1, und the whole thing luid fin-c down upon o. form or turtle 5, nud brought into conformity thereto, its indicntod in Fig. 2. 'lhis turtle should be of substuutinlly thc sumo radius :is the cylinder with which the elcctrot )e is to be finally used. By this step in tie process, the fece oi' thc clectrotypc is con'iprcsscd, while the convex surface of the bnckinv 2 is clon fated. wWhilc in this curved condition, su icient i; hout is nppliod to tin olcri-rotype to melt oli tric, ns indicated in Fig'. 5.

its backing 2, und the shell i is then leid fece clown upon u suitable lint surface und mede to conform thereto. A second bucking 2 is now given to this shell in the seme manner as nt first, and plancd down to gage, as indicated by Fig. 3. As a. linnl step, the electrotype is leid foce outward upon the turtle 5 `which should be exactly the curve of the cyl.

inder of the Jress, und hout to fit the sume, es illustrated b Fig. -L By this step, the eleotrotype shel or other lace ol' the rioting4 surface is elongated to exactly thc (ogres it was compressed in the other step, und consequently 1t accurately registers with s duplicate unbont elcctrotype, and cnn be used upon n two-color press employing both a flat bed and n cylindrical printing surface. Moreover, in printing offices having both fiat nni'l cylinder lpresses, the duplicate sheets rinted, on bot. will be of exactly the somo r imensions. In nmny'oliices, this will be of great volue.

-In the modification of my process illusn t-rgtted in lfligs. 5 to 7, the elcctrotypo shell 1 is luid upon the concave mold 6, :nul the melted backingfinctul poured thereon to the usuel thickness; the sharper? forcing tho face ond buck of' the backed cloctroty )c to he concen' he clcctrotype.

is then flattened, und its bucking pinned down to the proper level 3, ns indicated in Fig. 6., By such luttonng, the face l of the clectroty ie is conti-noted to n substantial degrec. T ie olectrotype is now brou ht to the proper curvature, us by the mo d 6mm-l shsper 7 shown in Figi 7, und by such bend-- ing tho faire or olectrotype shell 1 is elongated to on extent exncy ocpxnl to its contraction when flattened? s :i result of the two o yposits superficiel distortions, the foce of t 1e electrotype :will' perfectly register with its lat du licnte. Y

n the other modification of my process, thc clectrotype shell is backed up flat to on excessive tnckness, in the usual manner, und as illustrated in Fig. 8. It is than bent upon n. comex surface 8, 'und the excess of bucking turned or routed oil'. ,This leaves the olectrotypc shell or face l'oontrnoted. It is then placed in u. mold 6 face clown, und

' brought to the desired final curvature in this step losing the superficiel contraction uoqun'ed in the precodingmtop und mode to register with its originel. f these three some-wlmi lili'orcut processes, thut first. iv-

g A y l ceases scribedis ,much to be preferred because of its originei contour iir'ithoiit superiiciall distcrt utilization of the devices now common in. nig it whereby the su ri'iciell torton electrotypers shops, end its 'greater ease ofA cause by the first ben 'is neutralized by' operation, not to mentionv its'i'nerensed ecthat of the, bend. 5a

curac endfreedo'in from lmssibzlity of flew. 3.4 lfheherein described method of bend- Al ouh lieve descri' ed the intermedr, ing printing surfaces, consisting in securing .y ate'step o--tliis4 rocess to consistinmeltin the seme to a flexible backing, ben the ofi' the fusible ac it is possible wit whole to substantially the curve desire re suitable appliances no to thus remove the moving such backing, bendingsai'd surface 55 backing, but 'simpl to soften it by heat to e. to its original contour, again 'banking it, and

sufficient extent t t it will not-resist lthe iinally bending it to the desired curvature;

elctrotype shell in its return to its original the two c urves being o posits to each other dat condition. Hence, when in the claims I and s o disposed that t e superficial distor- 'spe'iik of "softening the backing in order to tion given to said surface durin 4the first bend so it return the printing surfaceto its original con'.- is eliminated by the nel ben tour,. I mean therebyhgth such partial soff 4., The;herein described method of bendy toning, and asofteningisiicient to'oause the ing printingsurfeces, consisting in securing backing to become iiid and ilow away.. The the'same to a fusible backing, bendin the same expression covers any other method of whole to substantially the cui-vev desire but c5 '20 softening. For instance, the first backi with said surface inward, melting oil such vit moisture or steam.

might be soine material like papierfmech backl'liig, bendinseid surface back to its intimately adhering to the electrotype shell origi yst con tion and44 aaiiibackingit during thefirst bending step but ce. able of up, 'and finally ,bending the w ole to theMdef being softened and removed ther in by sired curvature with s 'surface outward', 70

l whereby the superfici distortion ..givn to WhileIpreier to have' the outerface oi the seid surface by the rst bendingv is elimif elctrotype shell outwerdin its iii-st beckinlg1 nated by the iinal bending. Y 1 up, it is possible to do the work with suc l V5. The herein describe' ,method .of bendface next -to the backing; the main objection ing eleetrotyges consisting insupporting the 75 being the diiiculty of entirely removing the electrotype ellupon aa -suriace'andbackmelted alloy from the'printing surface. ing it with fusible metal in the usual way', What I claim as my invention and for then bending the whole 'ulon's convex surwl'iicli I desire Letters Patent is as follows, face with the electrot ys ell-inward, meltto *Wit i ing oi the backing, het ening the electrotype so 1. 'Ilie herein described method o f bending shell andain baekingit in the usual manrinting surfaces, consisting in giving the ner, .and ally bendin the whole tothe acked printing surface two opposite bends, curve desired, with the e ectroty'pe shell 'out- 4and between such bends so treating the ba'ckward. t f

4 ing that the superficial distortion caused by In testimony thatI claim the foregoin in 85 40 the second bend neutrslizss that caused by vention have hereunto set my hand t 7 the iii-risa. h b d th d f be d day of snusiry, 1908.

'2. eereineseriemeoofning' Erinting surfaces consisting in giving the BURT F' UPHAM A bac ed. printing surface two onposite bends, Witnesses: andlbetween such bends softenmg such back- A.' B. Umm,

ing and returning said printing surface to its WARREN N. Axims. 

